A 36-year-old IT contractor from Lansing, Michigan, Samuel Smeltzer, who goes by the alias Elyon Badger and identifies as a “furry,” has drawn national attention for his campaign in the Democratic primary for Michigan’s Seventh Congressional District.
Smeltzer has promoted extreme views online and celebrated acts of violence against public figures, raising concern as the competitive 2026 race approaches.
Smeltzer frequently appears at events in a honey badger costume, earning his nickname and capturing media attention, according to The Washington Free Beacon.
His social media posts include praise for the assassinations of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk and UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
Following Kirk’s murder, Smeltzer wrote on Bluesky, “Good things can happen,” alongside a graphic image of Kirk’s father captioned, “How can we defeat evil, if evil is mourned when it’s defeated?”
The candidate has also used official campaign statements to frame Kirk as a “white supremacist who preached stochastic terrorism,” blaming gun-owning conservatives for the violence.
Smeltzer’s online rhetoric extends to advocating imprisonment for all U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, labeling Israel an enemy of the United States, and calling for targeting billionaires, according to The Blaze.
Smeltzer’s platform combines “healthcare and tax-the-rich” policies with advocacy for the furry community, which he describes as “the ultimate form of freedom in America.”
He positions himself as a challenger to establishment Democrats, particularly frontrunner Bridget Brink, former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, whom he claims cannot “fight for the working class” or resolve internal party issues.
His social media presence also includes provocative imagery, such as lying on a pentagram while expressing hatred for the United States and admiration for China.
Analysts note that Smeltzer’s strategy exemplifies a growing trend in which online activism, subcultural identities, and radical statements intersect within Democratic primaries.
National political observers have described his approach as polarizing.
The National Republican Congressional Committee called Smeltzer’s posts “dangerous and disgusting,” framing them as symptomatic of broader ideological fractures in the Democratic Party.
Smeltzer has additionally criticized other candidates, claiming they are unable to address systemic party issues and pledging to bring what he calls “Honey Badger energy” to the Democratic Party.
Smeltzer is not the only Democratic primary contender drawing attention for unconventional views.
Graham Platner, an oyster farmer running for the U.S. Senate in Maine, previously drew scrutiny for controversial social media posts in which he identified as a communist, criticized rural white Americans as racist and labeled police officers as “bastards.”
Platner’s statements, along with his tattoo reportedly resembling imagery used by Hitler’s SS, have kept him in the political spotlight despite endorsements from high-profile Democrats.
Similarly, Jay Jones, a Democrat running in Virginia, has faced local criticism for comments regarding law enforcement and public safety, highlighting a trend of primary candidates combining fringe positions with media-savvy personas.
These campaigns underscore how Democratic primaries increasingly feature candidates whose unconventional identities and radical statements capture national attention.
The Democratic primary winner in Michigan’s Seventh District will face Republican incumbent Tom Barrett in a swing district.
Analysts predict Smeltzer’s candidacy, alongside other outspoken contenders, will continue to attract media scrutiny, emphasizing how subcultural politics and online radicalism are shaping the 2026 election landscape.
